Operating Expenses

Stock-based compensation expense

Accenture Stock-based compensation expense increased by 52.1% to $713.39M in Q4 2025 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric grew by 4.0%, from $686.11M to $713.39M. Over 4 years (FY 2021 to FY 2025), Stock-based compensation expense shows an upward trend with a 11.7% CAGR. This is a positive signal — lower values indicate better performance for this metric.

Analysis

StatementIncome Statement
SectionOperating Expenses
CategoryEfficiency
SignalLower is better
VolatilityStable
First reportedQ1 2014
Last reportedQ2 2026Mar 19, 2026

How to read this metric

Higher levels indicate significant use of equity for compensation, which can lead to shareholder dilution over time.

Detailed definition

This represents the expense recognized for equity-based awards granted to employees, such as stock options or restricted...

Peer comparison

Standard operating expense for most public companies, particularly in competitive talent markets.

Metric ID: ms_stock_based_compensation

Historical Data

20 periods
 Q3 '21Q4 '21Q1 '22Q2 '22Q3 '22Q4 '22Q1 '23Q2 '23Q3 '23Q4 '23Q1 '24Q2 '24Q3 '24Q4 '24Q1 '25Q2 '25Q3 '25Q4 '25Q1 '26Q2 '26
Value$331.04M$275.70M$365.69M$546.61M$407.26M$360.23M$425.47M$631.87M$472.70M$383.02M$423.00M$641.87M$473.93M$402.79M$470.43M$686.11M$497.79M$439.55M$468.99M$713.39M
QoQ Change-16.7%+32.6%+49.5%-25.5%-11.5%+18.1%+48.5%-25.2%-19.0%+10.4%+51.7%-26.2%-15.0%+16.8%+45.8%-27.4%-11.7%+6.7%+52.1%
YoY Change+23.0%+30.7%+16.3%+15.6%+16.1%+6.3%-0.6%+1.6%+0.3%+5.2%+11.2%+6.9%+5.0%+9.1%-0.3%+4.0%
Range$275.70M$713.39M
CAGR+17.5%
Avg YoY Growth+9.4%
Median YoY Growth+6.6%
Current Streak2 quarters growth

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Accenture's stock-based compensation expense?
Accenture (ACN) reported stock-based compensation expense of $713.39M in Q4 2025.
How has Accenture's stock-based compensation expense changed year-over-year?
Accenture's stock-based compensation expense increased by 4.0% year-over-year, from $686.11M to $713.39M.
What is the long-term trend for Accenture's stock-based compensation expense?
Over 4 years (2021 to 2025), Accenture's stock-based compensation expense has grown at a 11.7% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $1.34B to $2.09B.
What does stock-based compensation expense mean?
The cost of paying employees with company stock instead of cash.